A culture crash in Madison's arts scene?

The Madison arts scene has exploded in the past 15 years, with a sharp increase in arts groups and arts events. Can a medium-sized city support this big-time arts scene? Can our many arts groups find an audience and survive? And how has the new Overture Center changed the playing field?

Tara Ayres, artistic director for StageQ and a familiar face in Madison's theater scene, where she has acted, directed and stage-managed for Mercury Players Theatre and the Madison Theatre Guild.

Susan Cook, executive director of the UW Arts Institute and a professor in the UW School of Music and Women’s Studies Program.

Stephanie Jutt, professor at the UW School of Music, a flutist for the Madison Symphony Orchestra, and founder of the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society.

Anne Katz, executive director for the arts advocacy group Arts Wisconsin. Katz promotes Wisconsin's arts communities while building partnerships in the public and private sectors for the arts in Wisconsin.

Andrew Taylor, director of the Bolz Center for Arts Administration.

Isthmus is sponsoring the "Pint and Policy" forum series as part of its 30th anniversary celebration. The discussion is free and open to the public. Audience members are encouraged to participate in the discussion. An earlier forum compared the urbanization trends in Milwaukee and Madison.